


Run.

by TickingClockwork



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Affection Starvaton, M/M, Ned is affection starved, Oneshot, Thanks Moshicane discord!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 16:48:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17984921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TickingClockwork/pseuds/TickingClockwork
Summary: Ned has dealt with affection starvation all his life. Boyd is the only one who knows.Thank you to LocustOfSteel (aka Wren) on discord for this idea.





	Run.

**Author's Note:**

> In this fanfic Ned is affection starved. I wrote this with some of my own experience with being touch/affection starved. My experience is not the same as other people’s experience so if you are also affection starved, it probably won’t be the same.

Boyd walked into the cryptonomica to see Kirby was cleaning the floor.

“ ‘Ello Kirby. Where is Ned at?” Kirby turned and looked at Boyd. It had been a couple months since Ned and Boyd got back together, but Kirby was still intimidated by the ex-convict. He just couldn’t understand why someone like Ned would marry a criminal.

“He’s in the other room with Billy” Kirby pointed to the employee room. Boyd walked past him and opened the door.

Well this was an odd sight.

Ned and Billy (who Boyd swore looked familiar) were sitting on the ground. Billy was talking to Ned-

“Duck”

Ok so maybe he wasn’t exactly talking. Just saying words, but Ned was talking right back.

“Pizza”

“Why thank you Billy. You are awfully kind.”

this was weird. Too weird for Boyd. He turned around and walked out.

“What’s going on in there?” Kirby asked. Not looking away from what he was doing.

“Ned’s talking to Billy” Boyd said nonchalantly.

“Oh jeez are they on the floor again?” Kirby put his head in his hands “Ned does this all the time. He gets so thirsty for complements that he sits on the floor and pretends that Billy is saying nice things about him for hours!”

Oh no.

Boyd knew exactly why Ned was doing this.

Affection starvation was always something that Ned had dealt with. When they had first met, Ned was very closed off. He suffered in silence. Always needing to be praised but never asking for it. Boyd had helped him be more open about it (and it clearly worked, considering Ned was doing nothing to hide these strange conversations with his employee) but it still hurt to see him like this.

No one but Boyd could understand what Ned was going through. Even Kirby, the man who would lay down his life for Ned, just saw his starvation as being “thirsty for complements”

Boyd walked back into the room with Ned and Billy. His footsteps were purposely loud, so that Ned would notice him come in.

Ned turned and looked at Boyd 

“Well hello Boyd! I was just having a lovely conversation with my friend here” Ned gestured to Billy. “Would you care to join us?”

Boyd sat down next to Ned and put a hand on his shoulder

“Ned. You don’t have to do this.”

“Do what? I’m just having a conversation with Billy. Just because he can’t speak, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk to him.”

“Ned. I’m not stupid. I know it’s been a long time since anyone has said anything nice to you. And honestly that’s my fault for not realizing it sooner-“

“Don’t worry about it Boyd. I’ve gotten a lot better in the past year” Ned flung out his arm to gesture to the room they were in “Ive got this store! I’ve got friends! I’m doing better.”

“Yes but-“

“I don’t need affection like I used to. I’ve moved on from that point in my life” Ned stood up. And began to walk out. Leaving the room was something that Ned did was he was lying. It was his way of avoiding questions.

However Ned stopped in the doorway when he heard Boyd say three words

“I love you.”

Ned turned back to look at Boyd. Boyd could see small tears forming at the ends of Ned’s eyes.

“I love you too.”

And with that, Ned walked out of the room.

Boyd continued to sit on the ground. He looked over at Billy

“What do you think? Should I go run after him or let him be.”

“Run”

Boyd laughed at the response and ran to console his husband.

**Author's Note:**

> If you are affection starved. Tell someone. I promise it will make things better.
> 
> If you know someone who is affection starved, make sure to tell them how important they are. Affection starvation can lead to a lot of self hate, and knowing that someone cares about you can make it so much easier to deal with.


End file.
